Do you have gadget envy? I do-- ever since I saw my first foldout keyboard for the Palm, its user comfortably tapping in meeting notes. So maybe it's time to take the plunge into some of those accessories that make a PDA into more than just an expensive calendar.
If you are a regular PDA user, you know that inputting text can be a headache. Graffiti and virtual keyboards are fine for small entries, and multiple-choice selections are fine for navigation, but to truly take the place of a notepad and daybook, the PDA requires a real keyboard.
Common keyboards are made of rigid plastic. They fold down to a size comparable to the PDA itself. Typically weighing a half a pound or less, they usually provide a built-in cradle or cradle attachment and use power from the PDA itself.
For example, the Palm Portable Keyboard shown at Palm.com unfolds to a full-size keyboard. It includes customizable "quick keys" to easily access frequently used applications. At 7.9 ounces, the open unit is 13.8 inches wide, and provides a close-to-desktop experience in key action and "feel."
Think Outside's Stowaway Keyboard is similar, offering a full-size keyboard with key action equivalent to a laptop, built-in docking station, and rigid fold-up structure. Weighing in at less than 1/2 pound, it is carried in its own separate case and is available for Palm OS III
and up.
A recent entry into the market, however, is made of flexible ElekTek electronic fabric -- so flexible, in fact, that it can double as a case for the PDA itself! 
This is truly exciting, since it ties the pieces together. If you're like me, it's a challenge to remember to pack along all the pieces if you have to carry the add-ons separately.
Logitech's KeyCase keyboard is available for devices running Palm OS 4.0 or higher and weighs only 5 ounces. Like rigid keyboards, it provides programmable keys to customize functions.
The fabric requires a hard surface on which to work, but that's not so different from thin foldout keyboards. Even the rigid cases are much more comfortable on a table, desk or briefcase. Because the keys are soft, typing takes some getting used to; this unit doesn't "feel" like the your notebook or desktop keyboard.
Along with the hardware itself, it's worth looking to see what software may be included. Popular programs such as WordSmith, which lets you convert files into Microsoft Word-compatible documents, are a valuable add-on for any keyboard product.
Expect to pay in the range of $75 to $100 for an add-on keyboard from a major manufacturer. All three products mentioned above list at $99.95.
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